Looking for you
by hellovick
Summary: "It wouldn't be possible? But Alice was supposed to be there. I showed him the letter -But you wrote this- I insisted. That man sighed and looked at me with a very serious expression. -No, you don't undestand. - He started. -Alice Baskerville is...-"
1. Chapter 1: Where are you?

Ha, finally, the day had come.

The day in which I'd met again with Alice, after a never ending year.

Alice was chosen as the only heiress of the Baskerville family some time ago, so she was taken in some kind of informative travel. Supposedly, that was so she could be informed about the values and rules of the family.

Anyways, a year passed, and the letters she used to write together with the news about the progress of "admission" to the Baskervilles started to stop. Actually, her letters stopped coming as daily as before. I felt something was wrong, and even so, I preferred to think everything was fine, and that sooner or later her trip would be finished and we would be able to see each other again.

Every time one of her letters came to the mansion, I could feel anxiety to open it and read every word she had wrote. I was anxious for news, but more anxious yet to know if it was the announcement of her arrival.

Every time I felt disappointment for knowing that she wouldn't come back yet, I would regret again not stopping her that day. I could have taken her hand, and stop her from going in that carriage.

(**Flash back**).

Alice and I were looking at the late afternoon trough the balcony. We were spending the last minutes we had left before she left.

-I can't understand yet why is it necessary for me to go- She exclaimed with an angry tone while her eyes kept on looking at the sun.

I sighed. Really, I thought the same. – I suppose it's some kind of orientation class, Alice- I looked at her. –Also, you accepted to go- Once I said this, I added a little laugh, just to break the tension in the atmosphere.

She looked back at me quickly. –That was because I thought you would come with me! I didn't know I had to go on my own! - She said- Sharon told me it is bad not to do something which you promised to do. If I don't go, that strange will torture me for the rest of my life!-

I laughed at her comment. –Sharon-chan is not that bad, Alice, she just wants you to do your duty as heir.

-However- She complained.

The doors of the balcony opened, showing Break –I'm sorry to interrupt you, but it's time-

Well, that was what I least wanted to hear. It was time, the moment in which Alice had to go. I observed her; she was tense. But even so, she was ready; we walked to the main doors of the mansion. Gil, Sharon and Liam were there. They were waiting for us.

The bags were packed, and the carriage was ready for Alice to go in and start the trip. She took her time to say goodbye to everyone, and she surely was sad. She even said goodbye to Break.

-Take care, rabbit- Gil told Alice with a smile, he was feeling down, too.

Alice came to me then. The look in her eyes was between anger and sadness. I suppose she was angry because she had to go, she hugged me. I hugged her back. I was sad. We didn't know for exactly how long she would be gone. –Alice-kun, I'm sorry, but it will be better for you to go now. The travel will be long. - Said Break, making Alice and I hug tighter. It would be… it would be difficult to see her go.

We broke the hug, and she walked towards the carriage's door. She turned around and looked at us.

That was the perfect moment. That was the moment in which I should have taken her hand to stop her from going. Anyways, I just stood there still, observing her eyes for the last time.

-Alice-san! Write to us! Your big sister will miss you! – Said Sharon, in a sad tone, but smiling. Alice nodded slowly, showing us a look in her eyes that let us know how much she wanted to stay. She just went in the carriage, and closed the door behind her.

She left. And the only… the only thing I could do was look how the carriage went, until it was out of my sight.

Gil came to me, and touched my shoulder, trying to comfort me. I smiled. But of course, it wasn't a true smile, Alice was gone.

(**End of flash back)**

A letter had come to my hands, the letter that told the arrival of my precious Alice.

I remember the happiness I felt to read that. –"_Oz. Things here are weird; there are a lot of strange people. I already told you about them anyway. Every day I spend here makes me be convinced how much I miss seaweed head's food. I even miss that stupid clown…" – _I laughed to that, she was the same as always. –_"… I don't have much time to write, I'm supposed to go somewhere I don't know in a couple of minutes. The point is I'll probably be able to go back in a couple of days, maybe a week"- _

That phrase, I couldn't get it out of my mind. She would be back in a week…

I remember myself running towards the lounge to tell everyone about the news.

So, the day came, together with another letter. Anyway, it wasn't from Alice. The author of this one was someone else. This letter said that some complications had occurred, and that we had to pick Alice up in the Baskerville's mansion, they would be waiting for us.

We went towards that place. I was excited; I would see Alice again, finally.

A year had passed by, _a year, _and I would meet again with her… after so long…

-I can't believe we will see Alice-san! - Said Sharon, she was excited. –She should have grown by now! She sure is a lady already! Don't you think that, Oz-sama?-

I blushed. Fortunately, Break spoke before I could answer to Sharon's comment. –Otou-san, just a year has passed by-

-A lot of things can happen in one hundred and sixty five days, Break! – She answered with excitement.

While they kept on talking about that topic, I looked through the carriage's window. Maybe it was true, maybe Alice had grown. Well, all of us had, right? Without noticing it, I started to imagine our encounter. I was impatient to arrive and see her. Maybe she was a bit taller, or her hair was a bit longer, or… How different could she be? It was true; it was just a year… An entire year without Alice… I kept submerged deep in my thoughts, and didn't seem to notice the moment we arrived to that place. Gil touched my back, getting me out of my trance. We went out the carriage and walked towards the entrance. Two guards opened the big doors, letting us access to the mansion. A man received us. –What can I do for you? - He asked.

I was about to answer, but Break interrupted me- We're here for Miss Alice, who has been in an orientation trip. We have been told to come here to pick her up.-

-Alice Baskerville? - He asked, looking surprised.

- That is right- Break said again.

-Oh. I'm truly sorry, but as you may know, that won't be possible-

It wouldn't be possible? What was he talking about?

This time, I spoke –What do you mean? She's supposed to be here- I showed him the letter that was sent to us, in which was told that we had to look for Alice in that place.

-There must be a mistake- He said.

-But you wrote this- I insisted. He looked at me, and sighed. He moved his glasses and showed a very serious expression.

-No, you don't understand...- He sighed once more. And then, he spoke again: - Alice Baskerville is dead-


	2. Chapter 2: I found you

_-"Alice Baskerville is dead"-_

Silence; I stood there, unable to move. –What…- I just asked.

Alice… Did she…? No, that could not be real. Alice couldn't be dead. That was just impossible. –No… It can't be- That sentence didn't seem to be taken by my brain. I started to think, to think in some excuse to prove wrong those horrible words.

Anyone said a thing, and I didn't bother to turn around to see the expressions of my friends. For some reason, the certainty of that being a lie and the fear of it being true were mixed up in my head, and I was not sure of what option I had to listen to. My ears started to buzz. But… How could I be sure that this man was telling the truth?

Suddenly, and before I could make some noise or say a word, something came to my mind, frightening me and giving me peace at the same time. There was a simple fact that assured me Alice could not be dead; the contract. If she had died, the clock mark in my chest would have disappeared, and of course, creating commotion in the process. Anyways, I never felt anything. But just to be sure, I undid my coat, and then my shirt, not caring about the others staring at me. I felt relieved; there it was, in my chest, the black clock mark. It was less than a quarter for the mark to reach its end.

I buttoned my shirt and coat and looked at that man with a smile on my face. –Alice is not dead-

He didn't say anything. He just stared at me. Then I realized it all. All of this had happened too fast. We had been fooled, and knowing this, a new reason to worry about was born in my head; where was Alice?

More questions came to me while I looked at the man's calm expression. Did he know what had happened to Alice? Why didn't he say a word? Was he planning on looking at me all day long?

I decided to break the silence; I didn't know why, but even Break kept quiet. –You know were Alice is, don't you? – I was sure he did. I felt he knew. After a couple of seconds, he smiled, letting me know I was right

-Well, kid, you're not as easy to trick as I thought. – He told me, making fun of me. Then, I heard the mansion's big doors close. I looked behind, and clearly, a group of guards was surrounding us. I turned around to look at that man again, who was smiling in a very twisted way. Next, he took a sword from somewhere and moved directly to me, to attack me. Break was faster and stopped his attack with the weapon he was carrying. The guards around us started a massive attack, and just then, Eques appeared. I could't understand what was going on. I just reacted when Break pushed me far in the opposite direction to the entrance. –Oz-kun, there is a chance of Miss Alice being here. Go for her. We will get rid of this. - He told me, showing me his usual smile. I stood up and ran as fast as I could, hoping that I could find Alice in the place. I was hoping for our meeting.

I did step through the halls quickly, while the noise of the battle in the parlor made its way through my ears. I knew my friends were in a fight there, but honestly, the most important thing for me was to find Alice

I felt frustrated; I couldn't find her anywhere

I stopped when I entered to a principal room. Anyways, much to my disgrace, two guards were there. Of course, they saw me. I started running again, with them coming behind. I kept running through a couple of corridors, and turned round every corner I found.

Damn, I couldn't lose sight of them.

I ran along a hall; I had to reach the corner at the end of it. But when I was passing at the middle of the hall, someone took me and pulled me to a hidden corner, covering my mouth. The guards passed past us, and then I looked at whoever was in front of me, the one who had helped me. I held my breath. It was her.

It was Alice.

She removed her hand from my mouth, and placed her index finger upon her lips, making me understand I had to keep quiet. She carefully leaned out and looked at both sides of the hall. –Follow me. - She whispered, taking my hand and guiding me to a safe place. We ran until we went into a room. She put the bolt in the door. She then rested against it and sighed. All the while, I looked at her. Yes, she had grown. She wore a white shirt and black vest, together with a black skirt she always used to wear and her normal white boots. I was amazed; I finally had her in front of me. She was real. She raised those violet eyes I had missed so much and looked at me. She kept on staring at me, penetrating me directly with her gaze. And then, in a very fast movement, she held on to me with a hug. A very warm feeling invaded my chest. I cannot explain how relieved and happy I felt at her touch, which I had missed for so, so long.

I took her in my arms and closed my eyes, enjoying the moment. –I missed you, Alice- I whispered to her, with an instant smile on my face. She just hugged me tighter.

We broke the hug and looked at each other. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, and that took me by surprise. –I… have been waiting for you- She said, wiping away the tears with her sleeve. I sighed; it was just Alice being herself, expressing her feelings like she had always done. –Well, you have me here. - I told her in a funny tone, making her blush. Yes, she really had grown, and honestly, she looked beautiful. I was the one to blush this time, at my own thoughts. Of course, I always found Alice beautiful, and now she was more advanced in her growth, that beauty had increased. Anyway, that was neither the time nor the place to think that kind of things. Break and the others were in the middle of a battle at the entrance of the mansion, I had just met again with Alice, and more important yet, I had a lot of questions to ask her.

-Alice- I started- What happened? What have they done with you?-

-It was all a tramp- She answered me.

-A tramp?-

-Mm. After a couple of months, they started to prohibit me going out of the place. They also prohibited the daily sending of my letters, and so they were sent late. - Well, that surprised me. Then, the delay and long term between every letter was because of that. Alice continued- I announced I would go back in the last letter I wrote. Anyway, I couldn't leave because I had the exit prohibited. I tried to escape of every possible way, but those damn guards always trapped me-

-Was that the letter you sent a week ago?-

-What are you talking about? I sent that letter three months ago- And I froze. Three months? Alice could have come back three months ago? –Those bastards must have delayed the arrival time-

-Alice, there was also another letter announcing we had to come here for you. Who wrote that letter?-

-Ah, that one was written by one of the servants. She is the only sane person in this place; she helped me. She wrote the letter and signed it with the Baskerville seal, so it could pass unnoticed and would be able to arrive in time. You received it today, right?-

-Yes, I did- I nodded.

-Good… I'm glad of seeing you again, Oz- She said, adding one of those smiles my mind had not forgot, gladly.

It was a really good moment, buy anyways, there was a little detail. A fight had place in the parlor, and we realized that when we heard the noises coming from there. –What is going on? - She asked me.

-Break and the others are here too- I answered her- We have to help them. - She nodded to that, and opened the door, giving us free step to the place the others were in.

We arrived. But we found that, all of the guards were lying on the floor. Gil, Break, Sharon and Liam focused their gazes on us. Oh, they had beaten them all already. I then looked at Alice, who was looking at them incredulous. I looked at them as well, and smiled. –I found her-

They all curved their lips at the very same time. –We see again, rabbit- Said Gil with a smile on his face. Break joined with a- Is good to see you again, Alice-kun-

Liam greeted her cordially, and then Sharon… Well, Sharon had teary eyes, and without a second to think, she ran to Alice and hugged her. Judging by Alice's expression, it seemed like Sharon was choking her. Finally… everything… everything was back to normal.

She was back by our side.

-Alice-sama! You are a lady already! - Sharon almost yelled; she sure was exited.

-Otou-san, don't scare Alice-kun so fast- Break laughed. –We have to get out of here first.-

Ah, of course, we were still in the Baskerville mansion.

-Alice, let's get your things- I told her; she nodded. After a few struggles to the emotive hold of Sharon, she was free.

We all went back to the carriage at once. We started the return home.

All that had happened, every question we had for Alice, the plan those people had for her… We had to resolve it all, but, where could we start?

Well, we would find out in the way home…


End file.
